The present invention relates to a switch panel device for a vehicle, and more particularly to a lid locking mechanism for maintaining the lid of a remote control unit provided near a rear seat or the like of an automobile opened for the operation of switches on the switch panel.
Some automobiles are provided with a remote control unit beside a rear seat thereof.
The remote control unit has a lid formed by a part of an arm rest beside the rear seat. A switch panel on which switches or the like are arranged is accommodated in the remote control unit. When a passenger in the rear seat opens the lid to operate the switches on the switch panel, he can remotely control air conditioning or the like in the compartment at his own will. Thus, the remote control unit has the advantages that the passenger's convenience may be enhanced, and that the driver may be relieved from the work of switch operation.
While the remote control unit is operated, the lid must be maintained open such that the operation is not hindered.
FIG. 1 shows a conventional remote control unit. In the drawing, a lid 3 is rotatably supported to shafts 2 fixed to a control unit body 1. When the lid 3 is fully opened counterclockwise, it is supported by a bumper 4 formed of rubber or the like which is mounted on the control unit body 1 at a position below the shafts 2, thereby maintaining the lid under the open condition such that the operation of the control unit is not hindered. Further, referring to FIG. 2 which shows a lid locking mechanism in the prior art, the lid 3 is formed at its side surface with a recess 5, while the control unit body 1 is formed with a hole la having an opening opposed to the recess 5 under the lid open condition. The opening has a diameter smaller than that of the hole 1a. A spherical guide ball 6 having a diameter greater than that of the opening is inserted into the hole la. A spring 7 is inserted into the hole 1a to bias the guide ball 6 in such a manner that the guide ball 6 may be partially projected from the opening.
Accordingly, when the lid 3 is opened as shown in FIG. 1, the guide ball 6 abutting against the end surface of the lid 3 and being maintained retracted is brought into engagement with the recess 5, thereby locking the lid 3 and maintaining the lid under the open condition.
However, the lid 3 under the closed condition constitutes a part of the arm rest in the rear seat of the automobile, and the outer surface of the lid 3 is sometimes trimmed with a cloth or a leather for the purpose of affording a good external appearance to the arm rest.
In this case, when the lid 3 is abutted against the bumper 4, and it is supported by the lid locking mechanism, the nap of the cloth on the outer surface of the lid 3 is flattened by the contact between the cloth and the bumper 4, marring the external appearance of the lid 3. In the case of trimming the outer surface of the lid with a leather, the leather will be similarly damaged, this diminishing the good external appearance of the lid 3.
Further, in forming the lid locking mechanism, a high tolerance of size is required so as to position the recess 5 of the lid 3 in accordance with the guide ball 6 inserted into the hole 1a of the control unit body 1 under the full open condition of the lid 3. Further, it is troublesome to install the guide ball 6 and the spring 7 to be inserted from the inside of the control unit body 1. Additionally, a degree of freedom of design is disadvantageously limited in the conventional lid locking mechanism.